Z coil grounding in Fender tele help

Thu Apr 28, 2016 8:37 am

Got set of 3 Z coils from G&L clearance store (still on offer, $100 for the set!) because thought would be fun to put two in my "Fender Modern Player Deluxe Thinline" (whew!) which has pair of P90's stock. Thought all I'd have to do is cut and solder two leads on each, but seems still have noise, unlike my Comanche which has same pups. I'm wondering if I need to attach a ground to the copper coated plate on bottom of pickups or? Noise is absent when running on batteries (Use a Fender Mini Mustang down on the beach here in nutty Thailand). Line power here is always suspect anyway....
Pups just fit into space of P90's and sound wonderful. Got the Fender a few years ago, made in China... it was fun in a nasty raunchy sort of way, but with Z coils it is in OMG territory. At $100 a set (zinc instead of nickel poles) I advise those with a soso guitar to try popping those in. Price seems almost like a give away
Thanks in advance for any advice you more technically savvy types might offer up.

Re: Z coil grounding in Fender tele help

Thu Apr 28, 2016 1:19 pm

EmGeezer wrote:Got set of 3 Z coils from G&L clearance store (still on offer, $100 for the set!) because thought would be fun to put two in my "Fender Modern Player Deluxe Thinline" (whew!) which has pair of P90's stock. Thought all I'd have to do is cut and solder two leads on each, but seems still have noise, unlike my Comanche which has same pups. I'm wondering if I need to attach a ground to the copper coated plate on bottom of pickups or? Noise is absent when running on batteries (Use a Fender Mini Mustang down on the beach here in nutty Thailand). Line power here is always suspect anyway....
Pups just fit into space of P90's and sound wonderful. Got the Fender a few years ago, made in China... it was fun in a nasty raunchy sort of way, but with Z coils it is in OMG territory. At $100 a set (zinc instead of nickel poles) I advise those with a soso guitar to try popping those in. Price seems almost like a give away
Thanks in advance for any advice you more technically savvy types might offer up.


See this in our Gallery: Album: Comanche Wiring Diagram and Picture Diagram.
Each Z-coil pickup's black wire is the ground.

Hope this helps.

:ugeek:

Re: Z coil grounding in Fender tele help

Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:48 pm

Did look at that, then just now looked at leftover Z, noticed already grounded. One of those "duh" moments. I suppose next step would be to shield the leads from pup (line to pots from original P90s is shielded). My novice brain wonders where the noise coming from (other than my playing...) if standard G&L leads not shielded.... maybe ground wire inadvertently disconnected when playing with pickguard. Thanks